Milk samples tested by the Department for Environmental Health following complaints that this had turned sour before its use by date were found to be slightly contaminated.

The department said that laboratory results, finalised today, indicated a slight contamination with enterobacteriaceae.

However, the levels of enterobacteriacea found did not, in themselves, render the food unfit for human consumption.

The department said that it received six complaints on August 17 all alleging that milk bought during the previous weekend bearing use by dates of 18/08 or 19/08 turned sour before the shelf life elapsed. The milk was bought from different outlets.

It said that it carried out regular surveillance on dairy products during the summer months in view oif the products' high perishable nature when exposed to warmer temperatures.

This year, the Health Inspectorate performed 593 ad hoc inspections of retail outlets and distributors regarding sale of milk in improper conditions resulting in legal action being initiated against 10 operators. Milk found outside the recommended temperature was destroyed under the supervision of the Health Inspectorate.

The Department for Environmental Health also launched a sampling programme on milk products and subsequently it sampled and analysed 33 samples of local milk. None of the results indicated any possible contamination except for a sample of skimmed milk taken from a retailer last Monday bearing a use by date of August 21.